Sanseveria plant named ‘SAN201202’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Sanseveria  cultivar named ‘SAN201202’ is disclosed, characterized by short, thick, dark green leaves with a silver hue. Plants are compact with uniformly spaced and angled foliage, occurring from completely upright to nearly horizontal. The new variety is a  Sanseveria , typically produced as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Sanseveria cylindrica.

Variety denomination: ‘SAN201202’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar is the product of a planned breeding program, with the intention to develop new interesting Sanseveria varieties for ornamental purposes. The new variety was discovered as a seedling, resulting from the crossing of unnamed, unpatented varieties of Sanseveria cylindrica during 2007. Seed was bulk collected, with the exact parentage unidentifiable.

The new variety was discovered by the inventor, Johannes Wilhelmus Maria Scheffers, a citizen of the Netherlands, during 2008, in a commercial greenhouse in Bangkok, Thailand. After identifying the new variety as a potentially interesting selection, the inventor continued confidential testing and propagation of ‘SAN201202’, assessing the stability of the unique characteristics of this variety.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘SAN201202’ was first performed at the commercial greenhouse in Bangkok, Thailand during 2008 by separation of vegetative suckers from the original plant. Access to all plants was restricted, as plants were kept in a greenhouse not open to the public. Through subsequent propagation by vegetative suckers, multiple generations have been reproduced, which have shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘SAN201202’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘SAN201202’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘SAN201202’ as a new and distinct Sanseveria cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact plant shape.     -   2. Short foliage length.     -   3. Dark green foliage with a silver hue.     -   4. Thick foliage.     -   5. Consistent, regular spacing between foliage     -   6. Uniform, consistent leaf growth angles from upright, through         nearly horizontal.

COMPARISON TO KNOWN VARIETIES

Plants of the new cultivar ‘SAN201202’ are similar to the unnamed, unpatented Sanseveria cylindrica available commercially in Europe and the United States, in most horticultural characteristics. The new variety, however, produces leaves which are dark green in color with a silver hue, whereas the commercially known variety produces leaves that are green with a lighter green hue. The leaves of ‘SAN201202’ are thicker, and shorter than foliage of the known commercial variety, forming an overall more compact plant shape for the new variety. Additionally, the new variety has an overall different plant configuration than the commercial comparator. Foliage of the new variety emerges, and grows at consistent, regular angles from uptight, through nearly horizontal, forming nearly a fan shape, whereas the known variety has foliage which emerges irregularly, and remains mainly upright in angle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color a typical plant of ‘SAN201202’ grown in a commercial greenhouse in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands. This plant is approximately 2 years old, shown planted in a 17 cm container. The photograph was taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 2001, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe ‘SAN201202’ plants grown outdoors at a nursery in Honselersdijk, The Netherlands, under 50% shade cloth. The temperature range was approximately 17° to 30° C. at night and 22° to 40° C. during the day. No artificial light, or photoperiodic treatments were given to the plants. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Sanseveria cylindrica ‘SAN201202’.

PROPAGATION

-   Time to initiate rooting: About 2-3 months at approximately 17° to     40° C. -   Root description: Thick, fleshy, slightly fibrous, not dense,     moderately branched colored greyed-orange, near RHS 165D.

PLANT

-   Age of plant described: 2 years. -   Pot size of plant described: 17 cm pot. -   Growth habit: Monopodial, distichous. -   Height: Approximately 17.0 cm. -   Plant spread: Approximately 34.5 cm at widest and approximately 4.0     cm at narrowest. -   Growth rate: Slow. Approximately 3 cm per month. -   Number of leaves per plant of the above age: Average: 7.

FOLIAGE

-   Leaf:     -   -   Arrangement.—Distichous.         -   Average length.—Approximately 18.5 cm (incl. sheath).         -   Average width.—Approximately 1.9 cm.         -   Depth of leaf blade.—Approximately 2.3 cm.         -   Shape of blade.—Linear, cylindrical and very succulent.         -   Aspect.—Leaves grow in an average angle of 40° to soil level             (=0°=horizontal).         -   Apex.—Acute with a small pungent tip.         -   Base.—Decurrent.         -   Margin.—No margins present, leaves cylindrical.         -   Texture of top surface.—Smooth, very slightly glossy.         -   Texture of bottom surface.—Smooth, very slightly glossy.         -   Color.—Young foliage upper side: Greyed-green, near RHS             192A; with irregular radial bands, green, near RHS 137A; tip             greyed-green, near RHS 189A, base tinged yellow-green, near             RHS 143B. Young foliage under side: Greyed-green, near RHS             192A; with irregular radial bands, green, near RHS 137A; tip             greyed-green, near RHS 189A, base tinged yellow-green, near             RHS 143B. Mature foliage upper side: Greyed-green and             yellow-green, near RHS 191C and 147B and 147C, all colors             present; with irregular radial bands, green to greyed-green,             near RHS N137C and N189A and N189B; outer tip grey-brown,             near RHS 199D. Mature foliage under side: Greyed-green and             yellow-green, near RHS 191C and 147B and 147C; with             irregular radial bands, green to greyed-green, near RHS             N137C and N189A and N189B; outer tip grey-brown, near RHS             199D.         -   Venation.—Type: Parallel. Color: Upper side: Yellow-green;             147A. Under side: Yellow-green; 147A.         -   Sheath.—Average Length: Approximately 3.0 cm. Average Width:             Approximately 1.5 cm. Color: Green; near RHS N137C. Texture:             Smooth, slightly glossy.

OTHER CHARACTERISTICS

-   Flower production: Not observed. -   Disease resistance: Neither resistance nor susceptibility to normal     diseases and pests of Sanseveria has been observed. -   Drought tolerance and temperature tolerance: Plants are drought     tolerant, and easily tolerate high temperatures to at least 40° C. -   Fruit/seed production: Not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Sanseveria plant named ‘SAN201202’ as herein illustrated and described. 